Monday, June 16th, 2008
Seven Ways to Save Energy by Saving Water
Though many states and localities are waking up to their water shortages and taking steps to plan for “peak water”, people generally continue to waste water and to ignore the energy-water link.
New Material Absorbs Light Completely And Generates Electric
A partnership between Duke University and Boston College turned out to be very beneficial for the science world, as they obtained a metamaterial that absorbs all the light it gets (yes, it becomes invisible) and that is supposed to generate energy more efficiently than the solar cells.
Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever
Go little Civic, go!
How To Heat Up Solar
It seems incredible then that the U.S. Senate has again failed to pass a bill that would extend solar tax credits to build new power plants.
Prius is Now the Most Searched New Car on Cars.com
Cars.com has announced that for the first time ever, the Toyota Prius has become the most searched for new vehicle on the popular vehicle classifieds site — surpassing long time favorites such as the Accord and Camry. The Prius first appeared in the top 10 most searched vehicles list last summer.
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Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
The other day, during our Connecticut trip, I passed the 1000 mile mark in my almost new car.
I was wondering when this was going to happen, since it’s been a while. I think I’m doing pretty well, considering I bought the car on January 3rd and hit 1000 miles on March 3rd. That’s about 500 miles per month. Not bad for saving gas.
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Wednesday, January 9th, 2008
2008 Honda Accord Review (Test Drive)
A hands on review of the newly redesigned 2008 Honda Accord. A full test drive based review!
Modulo 2008 Honda Inspire / Accord
Since the announced of 2008 Honda Inspire/Accord. Many of the Honda specialized tuner take their opportunity to show off their capability. After Muger now presenting to you is the Access, one of the tuner show out in 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon.
Civic Hybrid vs. Prius
Road Test: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid vs. 2006 Toyota Prius & 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid vs. 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
The fall of the Honda Accord - Who is on Top now?
See the top rated family sedans from Consumer Reports. The Honda Accord has finally fallen from its #1 spot. Who tops the 2008 list of sedans?
HONDA ACCORD HITS THE BIG 3-0!
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Honda Accord in the UK. Over the past four decades, more than 15,800,000 units have been sold across the globe, making it one of the most popular cars in the world.
A Honda that will get 62.8 MPG and is not a hybrid!
Feast your eyes on this, car technology and high-mileage nuts. It’s a Honda Accord that runs on diesel. It gets 62.8 miles a gallon on the highway, but otherwise looks and feels like a regular Accord.
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Wednesday, January 9th, 2008
Foreign press leaks pics of New Saab SUV concept car
Saab’s putting out a new small SUV to compete with the BMW X3 and Land Rover LR2 Freelander. It’s called the 9-4X, and a prototype will be shown at the Detroit Auto show next week. The first pics hit the web ahead of schedule. Not bad looking, but does the world need another small SUV?
2010 Ford Mustang GT spied, sporting GT500 wheels?
Jalopnik was the first to bring you pictures of a heavily camouflaged 2010 Ford Mustang and now they’re going up-powered. They’re the first to bring pictures of a similarly camouflaged 2010 Ford Mustang GT…and it appears to be sporting GT500 wheels.
Toyota reveals A-BAT El Camino-like concept pickup truck
It’s a truck-car from Toyota that looks like it was formed via a menage-a-truck between the Honda Ridgeline, the Chevy Avalanche and a Toyota Prius.
Exploding the new Corvette ZR1’s LS9 engine
An exploded view of the 620+ HP supercharged LS9 engine from the newly revealed 2009 Corvette ZR1 just to show how it ticks. Here’s every single part in the engine — in detail — for all to see.
5 Things you need to know about the new Corvette ZR1
This cocktail party cheat sheet might come in handy this week. Among the weirder things: the Ferrari Enzo’s front brakes are the new Corvette’s rear brakes, and a special paint coating for the roof cost GM over $60,000 per gallon.
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Saturday, January 5th, 2008
I went out today to give my new Sony Handycam Camcorder a try. I have mad skillz and I know how to use them. I decided that a look at the engine of the new car would be cool as well as a drive down the road. I had to go drop off some clothes at the clothing drop anyway, so it was a good excuse to use the camera.
As you know, I have been putting some videos on YouTube. My Honda Accord videos have been getting quite a few views. I guess people out there are interested in the new body style. Get this - some little 19 year old posted a comment on one of my videos stating that the car I posted a video on wasn’t really an “EX” or a “V6.” Ok, then…just for him, I took some video of the engine…
…and this is me trying out the camera while driving down the road…
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Friday, January 4th, 2008
Due to popular demand (actually, Paul was the only one who said there were no pictures), I am writing a post with some photos of the new car. Last night was just too dark when I got home to grab anything. I called the neighbor, Tim, to come out and look at the beast. The poor guy looked so cold, but he stood there like a trooper.
Ok, so again, this is a 2008 Honda Accord EX (v6). I guess I can’t write that enough. I took these photos about ten minutes ago. I was going to do some video, but it’s too cloudy out there. I will get some later when it’s nice.
This is the front view. It’s got nice fog lights and halogen headlamps. I like that. I think it has daylight running lights too. I don’t think that’s as much of a feature as it is the law.
Here is the front/side view. The reason I got the EX is because it’s more badass than the other models. The reason I got the V6 is because it’s more badass than the regular EX. I like the 17″ alloy wheels.
This is the side view. I don’t know what to write about that besides the fact that the EX comes with chrome door handles. Honda seems to talk about that a lot. It’s not something I would particularly brag about at parties.
This is the side/rear view. I am sure there is something nice to say about that, but it escapes me right now.
This is the rear view. I can’t believe my license plates got here so quickly. This model has the dual exhaust, so I can be sure it will cost twice as much when it comes time to replace it.
This is the interior view. One thing I haven’t gotten a picture of yet is the moon roof. I love that. Last night, when I was driving home, I opened the moonroof. It allows the air to circulate without blowing all over the place. With the heat on, it’s really nice.
This is the dashboard. There are some things I still have to figure out, like how to find out how many miles are on the car. That’s not readily available. Probably Honda’s way of getting money out of the people who lease. HAHA.
As I said above, I will get some video of it later…maybe when my new video camera comes tomorrow.
Love, peace and hair grease.
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Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
Ok, like I said, if I go to the dealer, I am coming home with a car.
Today, I took a drive down to Middletown Honda in New York. I guess I made the decision when I woke up. I had already done tons of research online and there were just no cars out there that could beat the reliability, performance, features, safety and price of this car. I compared the 2008 Honda Accord EX V6 against the similar Toyota Camry and the Honda came out on top. The Camry’s base price is lower, but when you add all the features that the Accord comes with, the price is higher.
I went in and talked to a nice sales guy. I am not sure if he was ready for my attitude, but we did OK. I always think that push is going to come to shove in these places and it kind of did today. I got a little ticked off, but we worked it out. At the end, I traded my car in and drove home later on in a brand new one. Good enough for me.
I have to say, it’s a pretty sweet ride. I have never owned a brand new car before, so this is a treat. Here are the specs:
Standard Features
Technical Features
• 268-hp, 3.5-Liter, 24-Valve, SOHC i-VTEC® V-6 Engine
• Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®)
• 5-Speed Automatic Transmission
• 100K +/- Miles No Scheduled Tune-Ups
• ULEV-2/PZEV CARB emissions rating
• Drive-by-Wire™ Throttle System
• Double Wishbone Front Suspension
• Independent Multi-Link Rear Suspension
• Front and Rear Stabilizer Bars
• Variable Gear Ratio (VGR) Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering
• Power-Assisted Ventilated Front Disc/Solid Rear Disc Brakes
Safety Features
• 3-Point Seat Belts at all Seating Positions
• Front 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System
• Adjustable Front Seat Belt Anchors
• Dual-Stage, Dual Threshold Front Airbags (SRS)
• Dual-Chamber Front Side Airbags with Passenger-Side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS)
• Side Curtain Airbags
• Active Front Head Restraints
• Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure
• Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control
• Brake Assist
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Four-wheel Disc Brakes
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
• Side-Impact Door Beams
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
• Child-Seat Tether Anchor (Rear-Center)
• Emergency Trunk Opener
Interior Features
• Driver’s Seat With 8-Way Power Adjustment
• Power Lumbar Support
• Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver’s Window
• Power Door Locks
• Cruise Control
• Center Console with Sliding Armrest and Storage Compartment
• Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
• Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Cruise and Audio Controls
• Ambient Console Lighting
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control System
• 160-watt AM/FM/6-Disc In-Dash Audio System with 6 Speakers
• Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC)
• Maintenance Minder™ System
Exterior Features
• One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature
• 17-inch Alloy Wheels
• Flat Blade Windshield Wipers
• Security System
• Remote Entry System with Power Window Control
• Multi-Reflector Halogen Headlights with Auto-Off
• Chrome Door Handles
• Body-Colored Heated Power Side Mirrors
• Dual Chrome Exhaust Finishers
• Fog Lights
I took some video of the ride today. You can view them below. Also, I will take some photos and video tomorrow and post.
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Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
I gave the Honda dealer down in Middletown a call yesterday just to feel them out. I know I have been talking about getting a new car recently, but the fact of the matter is, my car runs great and I don’t really want to buy a new car. This is supposed to be the year of saving money.
It seems that around every corner I swing myself, there is someone standing there with their hand out looking for thousands of dollars. I don’t like to give out thousands of dollars. I just don’t like it. Over the Summer was the porch, last month and this month is the kitchen. Am I supposed to pay for a new car this month too? As my father used to say, (as well as every other father out there, I’m sure) “Money doesn’t grow on trees. Now get out there and split some wood.”
Let me tell you the reason why I feel like I am being pushed into buying a new car. The first nudge was by the accountant. Accountants don’t like getting yelled at by their clients for the client having to pay lots of money in taxes. The accountant would rather the client spend lots of money for write-offs. The second nudge is the mileage of the car. I think I have over 150,000 miles on it. I got the timing belt changed at about 80,000, which means it needs to be changed again. That’s a bit more than $600 (because of the V6 and no room to work). The final thing that may put me over the edge is the fact that I have to get the car inspected by the end of the month. That wouldn’t be so bad if the “check engine” light wasn’t on. They won’t inspect the car if the “check engine” light is on. That whole thing really stinks, because so many cars always run great (including mine), but because of the check engine light, people can’t get them inspected.
The light went on over the summer and I brought the car to AutoZone. They will plug the engine light thingy into the car to get the error codes for free. There was nothing wrong with the car. A cylinder “missed,” which tripped the light. I took off one the battery terminals to reset the light and it stayed off for a good long time. When the light went back on, I tried the same thing. This time, the light turned off for a much shorter time and then went back on. This may be something as simple as a spark plug wire arcing or something with a spark plug itself. Who knows. The fact that it’s 3 degrees outside doesn’t help any.
I guess I could go out there later in the week to fool around with it. I am going to give the dealer another call today, just to see what they have in stock, but make no mistake, I don’t like it.
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Monday, November 19th, 2007
Blogger takes Honda’s $10m hydrogen fuel cell FCX Clarity for a test drive
What would you do if Honda handed you the keys to a $10 million car that emits only water vapor? Everything legal, that’s what. Read AutoblogGreen’s first in-depth review of a car some lucky people will be able to lease next summer. When will the rest of us get to drive a hydrogen car?
Broadband speeds days numbered?
Enjoy your speedy broadband Web access while you can. The Web will start to slow down as early as 2010, as use of interactive and video-intensive services overwhelms local cable, phone and wireless Internet providers
Think Recycling Computers Is A Good Thing? Think Again
Most people think they’re helping the earth when they recycle their old computers, televisions and cell phones. But chances are they’re contributing to a global trade in electronic trash that endangers workers and pollutes the environment overseas
Is AMD Doomed?
Can a $622M dollar cash infusion plus reasonably profitable GPUs give AMD enough breathing room to prove its gamble on true quad core was a good one? The jury is still out, but the portents are not very encouraging. The tech world really needs a scrappy, nimble CPU company like AMD, just like it needs a scrappy, cool computer company like Apple.
Why Car Salesmen Think its Okay to Screw you, And what you can do about it!
This is a good article on common arguments a car salesman may throw at you during the buying process. Very informative, kind of funny, but SO true!
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Thursday, November 15th, 2007
I have been beating myself up over this. I flip flop more than…some politicians I know of.
Just the other day, I came to the realization that I am a boring human being. The reason I keep considering what type of car I want next is because I have never bought a brand new car before. Also, I am trying to bust out of that boring, computer guy persona. I know I shouldn’t care what people think, and I really don’t think I do. As all the ladies say, “I am doing it for myself.”
I dabbled a bit with the thought of getting a Toyota Camry Hybrid. Then, I started noticing way too many Camrys on the road. Then, I thought a BMW 5 series would be really cool. After a little research, that car seems to make the least sense possible. I want to break out of nerdhood, but I don’t want to be a fool. The car does have all-wheel drive, which is a huge plus, but dealers are few and far between. This becomes an issue when one of the big perks of getting that car is the fact that they offer four years of maintenance for free. I can’t even bring my current car down the road for an oil change, and I think I am going to drive a car 90 miles (round trip) a few times a year? Probably not. Also, I learned that the BMW requires premium unleaded gasoline. I am really cheap when it comes to gas, so I don’t think that’s going to work for me.
I am slowly arriving at the conclusion that I am going to get an upgrade of what I currently drive, but with GPS. I have to admit, I have been admiring the 2008 Honda Accord V6 from afar. Honda seems to have a lot of nice technology in their vehicles and they are pretty comfortable. I should know, my last three cars have been Hondas. The only thing wrong with this car is that it doesn’t come with all wheel drive. I guess we can get around this by getting Laura’s next car with all wheel drive. We’ll see.
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